According to Greta

Featuring an impressive performance from Hilary Duff, According to Greta follows rebellious teen Greta (Duff) as she’s forced to spend her summer within a sleepy New Jersey town with her grandparents (Ellen Burstyn’s Katherine and Michael Murphy’s Joseph). Greta’s distaste (and flat-out disgust) for her less-than-exciting surroundings is reflected in her increasingly antisocial behavior, yet the character inevitably begins to soften as she grows closer to Katherine and Joseph and even starts dating a kind-hearted local (Evan Ross’ Julie). It goes without saying that According to Greta‘s eye-rollingly familiar premise, coupled with the protagonist’s almost unreasonably sarcastic and sassy demeanor, results in an opening half hour that’s nothing short of disastrous, with the completely predictable atmosphere often threatening to negate the genuinely strong work from the various performers. There’s little doubt, however, that the movie’s unabashedly deliberate pace plays a significant role in its slow-but-steady turnabout, as director Nancy Bardawil, working from Michael Gilvary’s screenplay, does a nice job of developing the film’s laid-back landscape to such an extent that Greta essentially becomes compelling by association. Duff’s unexpectedly strong work ensures that her character’s relationship with Ross’ Julie is substantially more intriguing than one might’ve initially suspected, with the inclusion of several progressively poignant moments and a thoroughly satisfying conclusion cementing According to Greta‘s impressive transformation from bottom-of-the-barrel teen drama to surprisingly engrossing character study.

*** out of ****